Task Force Enhances Measures Against Illegal Employment in Key Industries, Expands Membership for 2026 Policy Address.

Inter-departmental Task Force against Illegal Employment convenes third meeting

The Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, chaired the third meeting of the Inter-departmental Task Force against Illegal Employment today (September 30). At the meeting, the Task Force discussed measures to combat illegal employment in the 2026 Policy Address, followed up on the latest situation of illegal employment, and agreed to co-opt the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau (CEDB), the Development Bureau (DEVB), the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD), the Home Affairs Department (HAD) and the Tourism Commission (TC) as members of the Task Force, with a view to combating illegal employment in key industries.

The Convenor of the Task Force, Mr Tang, said, "The Chief Executive announced in the 2026 Policy Address an array of measures to step up efforts to combat illegal employment on all fronts. In particular, after reviewing the latest trends of illegal employment, the Task Force has designated catering and cleaning, renovation and construction, retail, food delivery, transport and logistics as well as tourism as key industries, and co-opted relevant bureaux and departments as members of the Task Force in order to strengthen the functions of the Task Force and curb illegal employment in these key industries in a targeted manner. In addition, we will invite relevant sectors to nominate representatives as 'Anti-Illegal Employment Ambassadors', who will join hands with the Government in combating illegal employment. They will assist in intelligence collection to widen our intelligence network and step up publicity and education in relevant sectors so as to raise awareness of not employing illegal workers."

At the same time, under the co-ordination of the Task Force, relevant departments will actively take forward other measures in the 2026 Policy Address, including leveraging technology to enhance the effectiveness of cyber patrol and intelligence collection; reviewing the penalty for illegal employment and striving for sentences with a greater deterrent effect to be handed down by courts; and enhancing interdepartmental joint operations, with a view to stepping up efforts in combating illegal employment on all fronts.

Established by the Security Bureau in September 2025, the Task Force aims to enhance interdepartmental co-ordination to combat illegal employment under a multipronged approach. After the addition of new members, members of the Task Force include the CEDB, the DEVB, the Education Bureau, the Labour and Welfare Bureau, the Transport and Logistics Bureau, the FEHD, the HAD, the Hong Kong Police Force, the Immigration Department, the Labour Department, the TC and the Transport Department.

Source: AI-found images

Inter-departmental Task Force against Illegal Employment convenes third meeting Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Inter-departmental Task Force against Illegal Employment convenes third meeting Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Source: AI-found images

Incoming passenger convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and alternative smoking products

An incoming female passenger was sentenced to six months' imprisonment and fined $2,000 by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (September 30) for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes, failing to declare them to Customs officers, as well as importing alternative smoking products, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO) and the Import and Export Ordinance (IEO).

Customs officers intercepted a 50-year-old incoming Mainland female passenger arriving in Hong Kong from Tokyo, Japan, at Hong Kong International Airport yesterday (September 29) and seized about 2 400 duty-not-paid cigarettes and 32 000 alternative smoking products, with an estimated market value of about $107,000 and a duty potential of about $8,000, from her personal baggage. The passenger was subsequently arrested.

Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences.

Customs reminds members of the public that under the DCO, tobacco products are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys duty-not-paid tobacco commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

Under the IEO, any person who imports an alternative smoking product into Hong Kong commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account(crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

An incoming female passenger was sentenced to six months' imprisonment and fined $2,000 by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (September 30) for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes, failing to declare them to Customs officers, as well as importing alternative smoking products, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance and the Import and Export Ordinance. Photo shows the duty-not-paid cigarettes and alternative smoking products seized. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases